Rank: 1
Team: Septic Justice Warriors
REASONING:
Powerhouse roster with some wK/CRB synergy and a bit of extra added talent. PPK157 will definitely serve as the foundation of SJW's infantry squad, with Cradoc and Zaffa backing him up. Infantry however is probably the weakest part of the SJW roster, with players like Lagstro, Achilles, Rayden and Luck filling out the ranged lineup. But finally the real kicker for SJW is probably cavalry, with monstrous players like Can, Cru, Shema, PPK157,
Vinny, and Cradoc. In open map settings, SJW will be a very tough challenge for the other teams.
Rank: 2
Team: The Moles
REASONING:
Arguably the best infantry core in the tournament, along with a couple of key additions to their roster and a few very talented cavalry players, puts The Moles at 2nd for me. Tito, Guacc and Aporta will be huge for their infantry, as they always are, and Rake and Sigi are great pickups. Jeffrey9792 is often considered the top active ranged players, and I think playing with this roster will certainly put that to the test. That being said, Sjaeles is a very solid shot and always improving, so Jeff won't be alone. Cavalry for The Moles should also be solid with Heat and Thunderbeu making a dangerous duo. Tito and Aporta are also solid cav players on open maps. I'm personally looking forward to seeing how this roster fares against SJW.
Rank: 3
Team: The Midnight Watchmen
REASONING:
TMW has brought a very talented roster to the table. With a few key additions to their already strong lineup, they'll definitely be contenders for 1st or 2nd. A very strong infantry lineup in Unicorn, Warpath, Danate, Troubadour, Arni and Scar, but I have concerns about their cohesion and group fighting. It may take them a couple of weeks to hit their stride and develop some cohesion. Their ranged players are who I'd personally be most concerned with: Sota, Clockwise, Menethil are all great shots, so I'm expecting some big plays from them. Cavalry is where I think TMW will struggle. Blacktide performs phenomenally considering his ping, but I think others like Beo and KilleR will struggle with rust and uncomfortable ping, respectively.
Rank: 4
Team: One Eyed
REASONING:
I personally think OE has a really dangerous roster. With more experience and cohesion I can see them quickly moving up. Oodle and Zach are probably the most dangerous inf duo in the tournament, except for maybe Tito and Aporta. Manry, Arys and Ordyn are also really solid inf players, but as I mentioned I think OE needs a bit of time before they develop the rock solid group fighting I envision. Their ranged ability is mostly limited to Matthew, who at his best is arguably top 5 in the tournament. Oodle and Prime are also solid ranged players, though. Cavalry for OE is where I think they'll have the most trouble. Tyler and Grimsight are well above average, but haven't seemed to quite click together yet. Looking forward to seeing how OE improves over the next few weeks.
Rank: 5
Team: Wappaw
REASONING:
What at first glance might just look like a bunch of old rusty players is actually IMO a really solid lineup. Kelquethas is really the only infantry player I expect a lot out of, but he'll definitely have a decent amount of support from Nero, Gibby and Stubberly. Ranged I think will depend on how well Quantum and Vetah perform. Quantum may be a bit rusty and have some ping issues, and Vetah is new, but they're both top tier when they're shooting at their best. Cavalry, though, is where Wappaw will be most dangerous. Assuming some older players can shake off a year or two worth of rust, we could see some huge plays from Redknight, Cheese, Bubs, Hero, Blade, and Kelquethas.
Rank: 6
Team: Rastaferi Tacos
REASONING:
A roster not exactly lacking talent, but I think this team will struggle with leadership and cohesion. I believe they'll have a lot of trouble on closed maps, as they lack any real beef in their infantry lineup. Creed and Beaner are solid, and a few others on the roster are at least average, but I can see some of the higher ranked teams simply mowing them down. RaTs will also have to rely heavily on John and Pepper for ranged support. Cavalry, on the other hand, RaTs seems to have no shortage of. Brave, Firunien, Roberta, Red, and Ivanho should be able to make some plays. We'll see how the team develops over the next few weeks.
Rank: 7
Team: Take Off The Tags
REASONING:
I'd have this team ranked much higher if they had scrimmed at all in the past two years or so. They could move up quickly, depending on how well they adapt. Assuming he plays, Kaiser will be
huge for this team. Disco and Ruth are also good pickups who should help bolster their inf lineup. Assuming Zero, Mad Dawg and Peasant are able to shake off some rust, I expect ToTT's ranged lineup will be where they'll be most dangerous. Zero and Peasant were in their prime one of the best ranged duos in the scene. Mad Dawg, Unix, Ron Burgundy and MOG could possibly make some cavalry plays, but I'm not expecting too much considering the rust. I'll be watching this team closely
Rank: 8
Team: Golden Kingdom
REASONING:
I always doubt GK, but they seem to like surprising me. Despite a strong finish in WMT, I have trouble seeing them beating any of the teams I've listed above them. I believe GK will really struggle with infantry, but to be fair I'm not familiar with most of the players on their roster. Ebdanian is known for being a total sniper, and Marquis is a dependable ranged player, so I think their ranged will be solid. GK also seems to have quite a few decent cavalry players in Sparhawk, Nate, Easter Cow, and Zealots. I think their cavalry will be crucial.
Rank: 9
Team: Defenders of Faith
REASONING:
With losing Bubs and what seems like widespread inactivity throughout their roster, I have serious doubts about DoF going into the tournament. Adding a bunch of old Rebels players may help out, but then there's also cohesion to consider. If anything, Death Angel and Dryykon should be able to make some clutch plays, and they have a good cavalry lineup in Darin, Courtney and Nevino.